MORRISON BACK WITH TEAM USA: Jamie Morrison has agreed to return to the U.S. Women’s National Volleyball Team as an assistant coach, according to Team USA Head Coach Karch Kiraly. Morrison has served as an assistant coach with the UC Irvine women’s volleyball coach for the past two seasons, in addition to serving as director of training at Newport Beach, Calif.-based Prime Volleyball Club. Prior to UC Irvine, Morrison was part of the U.S. Men’s staff as technical coordinator from 2005-2008 and as assistant coach/technical coordinator for the U.S. Women from 2009-2012. He helped the U.S. Men earn the gold medal at the 2008 Olympic Games and the U.S. Women to the silver medal at the 2012 Olympic Games. For the full article, click here.

LARSON-BURBACH WITH DINAMO KAZAN IN RUSSIA: Jordan Larson-Burbach (Hooper, Neb.), an outside hitter with the U.S. Women’s National Volleyball Team, is competing once again for Dinamo Kazan in the Russia Super League. In CEV Champions League, Kazan topped Russian rival Dinamo Moscow 25-21, 25-21, 18-25, 25-16 on Jan. 15 to open the home-and-home Playoff 12 Round. Larson picked up 15 points in the victory with 13 kills on 39 attacks and two blocks. She added a 78 positive reception percent in the match. The two teams conclude the series on Jan. 22 with the winner advancing to the Playoff 6 Round. In the Russia Super League, Kazan blanked Dinamo Krasnodar 25-23, 25-16, 25-19 on Jan. 19 to improve to 10-0. Larson-Burbach charted 14 points in the victory with 12 kills on 29 attacks, one block and one ace. For a photo gallery of the match, click here. Kazan is now two matches ahead of second-place Omichka (9-2) and three points in the standings.

THOMPSON WITH VOLERO ZURICH IN SWITZERLAND: Courtney Thompson (Kent, Wash.), a silver medal-winning setter on the 2012 U.S. Olympic Women’s Volleyball Team, arrived in mid-November to play for Volero Zurich in the Swiss League. In the CEV Champions League, Volero stopped Italy’s Rebecchi Nordmeccanica Piacenza 25-18, 24-26, 26-24, 25-19 in the opening Playoff 12 Round home-and-home series match on Jan. 16 in Zurich. Thompson set her team to a 36 kill percent for the match. “We were really excited with the opportunity to play Piacenza in the Playoffs 12,” Thompson said. “We have been working hard since the start of the season to get this chance and experience such a moment. It was really fun to play today. The crowd was absolutely amazing and the fans pushed us to this victory.” In the return match held Jan. 21 in Italy, Volero completed the series sweep with a 22-25, 25-18, 25-20, 25-19 victory. Thompson led her team to a 38 kill percent to advance on the Playoff 6 Round. Volero swept FC Luzern I 25-12, 25-23, 25-10 on Jan. 18 to improve to 14-0 overall with just two sets lost. Volero resumes Swiss League action on Jan. 25 against seventh-place Sm’Aesch Pfeffingen.

LLOYD WITH CONEGLIANO IN ITALY: Setter Carli Lloyd (Bonsall, Calif.) is competing for Imoco Volley Conegliano in the Italian Serie A league for this winter season. In CEV Champions League action, Conegliano swept Russia’s Omichka Omsk 25-23, 25-18, 25-23 on Jan. 15 to open the Playoff 12 Round in Italy. Lloyd set her squad to a 35 kill percent while chipping in an individual kill and block for two points. The Playoff 12 Round home-and-home series with Omichka concludes on Jan. 23 in Russia with the winner advancing to the Playoff 6 Round. Conegliano ended the Italian Serie A1 regular season first half with a 26-24, 25-11, 25-22 victory over fifth-place Unendo Yamamay Busto Arsizio (5-5, 15 points) on Jan. 19. Lloyd set Conegliano to a 39 kill percent against her former team, Busto Arsizio. She added two kills on two attacks and three blocks for five points. Conegliano, now 7-3 and in fourth place in the Italian Serie A1, starts the second half on Feb. 2 against 10th-place Ihf Volley Frosinone (2-8, 6 points).

HAGGLUND, MIYASHIRO WITH VILSBIBURG IN GERMANY: Libero Tamari Miyashiro (Kaneohe, Hawaii), a libero on the 2012 U.S. Olympic silver-medal team, and setter Jenna Hagglund (West Chester, Ohio) are playing for Rote Raben Vilsbiburg in the German league this winter. In addition, Americans Dominique Lamb and Michelle Bartsch are competing on the squad. Vilsbiburg handled Schweriner 22-25, 25-15, 25-21, 25-19 after a slow start on Jan. 18. Hagglund set her team to a 45 kill percent for the match while adding two kills on four errorless attacks and an ace for three individual points. Bartsch claimed 17 kills on 42 swings and a block for 18 points. Vilsbiburg is in third place with a 26-17 set ratio and 24 points. Vilsbiburg returns to action on Jan. 25 against fourth-place Aachen.

PAOLINI WITH HITACHI IN JAPAN: Lauren Paolini (Ann Arbor, Mich.), a middle blocker with the U.S. Women’s National Volleyball Team, is playing for Hitachi Rivale in the Japanese V-League top division. Hitachi recovered from consecutive losses to defeat Pioneer 25-18, 20-25, 25-13, 28-26 on Jan. 18. Paolini contributed 20 kills on 34 attacks without an error in the victory. Hitachi extended its win streak to two matches on Jan. 19 by defeating Hisamitsu Springs 25-13, 25-16, 25-22. Paolini tallied seven points with four kills, two blocks and an ace.

HILDEBRAND WITH AMIL IN BRAZIL: Kristin Hildebrand (Orem, Utah), an outside hitter with the U.S. Women’s National Volleyball Team, is playing this winter with Volei Amil in the Brazil Super League. Last week Amil participated in the Brazil Cup and reached the semifinals before bowing out. Amil topped Pinheiros 18-21, 21-11, 21-16, 21-19 in the quarterfinal round on Jan. 16. However, Amil fell to Molico/Nestle 21-19, 16-21, 21-16, 21-17 on Jan. 17. Hildebrand scored 15 points in the semifinal match with 14 kills on 28 attacks and an ace. She added a 60 positive reception percent. In its return to the Brazilian Superliga, Amil overwhelmed Sao Cristovao 21-16, 21-15, 21-8 on Jan. 21. Hildebrand notched eight points in the victory, including a team-leading three aces and 10 digs. In the Brazilian Superliga, Amil is in second place with a 13-2 record, trailing league-leader Molico/Nestle (15-0) by five points (43-38) in the standings.

KIM GLASS WITH BANANA BOAT/PRAIA CLUBE IN BRAZIL: Kim Glass (Lancaster, Pa.), a 2008 U.S. Olympic silver medalist, is playing in the Brazilian Super League this winter with Banana Boat/Praia Clube. Banana Boat lost its Brazil Cup quarterfinal match to Sesi Sao Paulo 24-22, 11-21, 21-19, 21-15 on Jan. 16. According to reports, Glass left the game with an injury. In its return to Superliga action, Banana Boat rallied past Minas Tenis Clube 19-21, 21-18, 19-21, 21-16, 15-11 on Jan. 20. Glass did not make an appearance in the match. Banana Boat is in fourth place with an 11-4 record. To follow her blog, click here.

BERGSMA WITH MINAS IN BRAZIL: Alaina Bergsma (Chandler, Ariz.), who trained with the U.S. Women’s National Volleyball Team in the summer of 2013 after winning the 2012 AVCA Division I National Player of the Year, is playing for Minas Tenis Clube in Brazil this season. Minas lost a heart-breaking 19-21, 21-18, 19-21, 21-16, 15-11 match to Banana Boat on Jan. 20. Bergsma netted a team-high 17 points with 15 kills on 45 attacks.

SCOTT WITH BRASILIA IN BRAZIL: Danielle Scott (Baton Rouge, La.), a five-time U.S. Olympian playing middle blocker and two-time Olympic silver medalist, is competing in Brazil this club season with Brasilia Volei. Brasilia turned back Uniara 21-14, 21-18, 17-21, 21-17 on Jan. 21 to improve to 7-8 on the season. Scott pocketed a team-high 13 points with 11 kills on 16 attacks.

ALISHA GLASS WITH FENERBAHCE IN TURKEY: Setter Alisha Glass (Leland, Mich.) is competing this winter with Fenerbahce in Turkey. In CEV Cup action, Fenerbahce dominated LP Salo 25-22, 25-13, 25-9 on Jan. 16 to open the 4th Final Round home-and-home series. Glass set Fenebahce to a 57 kill percent for the match with 47 kills on 83 attacks. She added a block and ace for two individual points. The teams square off again on Jan. 22 in the concluding match. In the Turkish League, Fenerbahce blanked Bakirkoy Bld. Yesilyurt 25-19, 25-15, 26-24 on Jan. 19 to improve to 12-1 on the season.

HOOD WITH ILBANK IN TURKEY: Outside hitter Regan Hood (Dallas) is playing for Ilbank of the Turkish League this winter. Ilbank handled Canakkale Bld 25-15, 25-15, 25-16 on Jan. 18 to improve to 8-5 overall on the season.

HARMOTTO WITH ECZACIBASI IN TURKEY: Middle blocker Christa Harmotto (Hopewell Township, Pa.), a 2012 Olympic Games silver medalist, is competing for Eczacibasi VitrA Istanbul in the Turkish professional league. In CEV Champions League action, Eczacibasi opened the Playoff 12 Round with a 25-21, 25-20, 25-22 victory over host Atom Trefl Sopot in Poland on Jan. 15. In second match of the home-and-home series, Eczacibasi rallied to win 16-25, 25-21, 25-21, 25-20 on Jan. 21. Harmotto did not suit in either match. Eczacibasi has now advanced to the Playoff 6 Round with dates and opponent to be determined for the home-and-home series.

HILL WITH ATOM TREFL SOPOT IN POLAND: Kim Hill (Portland, Ore.), an outside hitter with the U.S. Women’s National Volleyball Team, is competing this winter with Atom Trefl Sopot in the Polish Oren Liga. In CEV Champions League, Atom Trefl lost to Turkey’s Eczacibasi VitrA Istanbul 25-21, 25-20, 25-22 on Jan. 15 in the first match of the home-and-home Playoff Round 12 series. Hill tallied five points in her starting role while producing a 55 positive reception percent on 20 attempts. In the concluding match of the series, Sopot lost the rematch 16-25, 25-21, 25-21, 25-20 on Jan. 21 and was eliminated from the Champions League. Hill sparked Sopot with a team-high 18 points via 14 kills on 28 attacks, three aces and a block. She chipped in a 62 positive reception percent on a team-best 29 chances. In the Polish Orlen League, Sopot downed PGNiG Nafta Pila 25-10, 26-24, 25-20 on Jan. 18. Hill totaled seven points in the victory, all coming on kills via 20 attacks. She added an 81 positive reception percent on 16 attempts. Sopot is now 11-3 overall with 33 points for second place.

ADAMS WITH TAURON BANIMEX DABROWA IN POLAND: Rachael Adams (Cincinnati, Ohio), a middle blocker on the U.S. Women’s National Volleyball Team, is playing in Poland this winter with Tauron Banimex Dabrowa Gornicza. In the Polish Orlen League, Tauron dropped a hard-fought 25-13, 23-25, 26-24, 25-15 match to Impel Wroclaw on Jan. 19. Adams paced Tauron with a team-high 15 points with 10 kills on 19 attacks and five blocks. Tauron is now 7-7 overall and in sixth place with 21 points. Adams is maintaining a blog during her travels, and is open to the public at rachadams.com.

HODGE, FAUCETTE WITH EVERGRANDE IN CHINA: Megan Hodge (Durham, N.C.), a 2012 Olympic silver medalist, and Juliann Faucette (San Diego) are playing in China this winter with Guangdong Evergrande, which is under the direction of 2008 U.S. Olympic head coach “Jenny” Lang Ping. Evergrande lost in five sets for the second consecutive match with latest setback to Bayi 22-25, 25-23, 25-15, 18-25, 15-12 on Jan. 19. Fauctte scored a match-high 26 points with 22 kills on 51 attacks, three aces and a block. Evergrande is now 5-4 in the first group and in third place.

BOWN, SPICER WITH SHANGHAI IN CHINA: Heather Bown (Yorba Linda, Calif.), a three-time U.S. Olympic Volleyball Team selection and silver medalist in 2008, and former U.S. National Team member Nellie Spicer are competing for Shanghai in the Chinese League this winter. Shanghai dropped a 25-20, 25-18, 25-17 match to Zhejiang on Jan. 19 to fall to 3-6 in the top group and in a tie for fifth place. Bown scored nine kills on 18 attacks to lead Shanghai, while Spicer started the first set.

GIBBEMEYER, CRIMES WITH LOKOMOTIV BAKU: Middle blocker Lauren Gibbemeyer (St. Paul, Minn.) is playing for Lokomotiv Baku in the Azerbaijan Super League. In addition, former National Team middle blocker Alexis Crimes (Rancho Cucamonga, Calif.) is playing for Lokomotiv. In CEV Cup action, Lokomotiv must defeat Polski Cukier Fakro Muzyna on Jan. 23 to the home-and-home 4th Final Round series to advance to the final phase of the Cup. To follow her blog throughout the year, visit laurengibby.blogspot.com.

OPEN TRYOUTS: The U.S. Women’s National Volleyball Team will hold its annual open tryout Feb. 21-23, 2014, at the U.S. Olympic Training Center (OTC) in Colorado Springs, Colo. The tryout process will be used primarily to identify prospective athletes for the U.S. Women’s National Volleyball Team. Athletes not invited to participate with the National Team may be invited to attend a second tryout as part of the U.S. Collegiate National Teams program (formerly U.S. Women’s Senior A2 Teams). To be eligible for the U.S. Women’s National Volleyball Team through this tryout, athletes must have concluded their collegiate eligibility. This program could begin as early as the spring of 2014, or when the athlete’s academic year or professional club season has concluded. Athletes with remaining collegiate eligibility will be eligible for the U.S. Women’s National Volleyball Team, as well as the U.S. Collegiate National Teams program, which consists of two different options if selected. For the complete press release, click here.